Neutron diffraction and inelastic neutron scattering investigations of the ordered double perovskite Ba2PrIrO6

High-resolution neutron-powder diffraction data show that the double perovskite Ba2PrIrO6 is cubic at ambient temperatures in space group Fm (3) over barm. Below T-N = 71 K the compound orders antiferromagnetically with magnetic moments of similar to 0.43(2) mu(B) at 6 K, on both the Pr4+ and the Ir4+ sites, oriented along the cubic a-axis. Inelastic neutron scattering at 105 K reveals a strong peak at similar to 276 meV and a weak transition at 366 meV. The former is consistent with the crystal field splitting of the J = (2)/(5) ground state under the cubic point symmetry, while the latter peak is due to the intermultiplet transition between the J (2)/(5)-round state and J=(2)/(7) excited state. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.